Key-controller and signal-transmitter



(N Model.)

M. MARTIN. y KEY CONTROLLER AND SIGNAL TRANSMITTER. No. 479,715. Patented July Z6, 1892'.

` UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

MORRS MARTIN, OF MALDEN, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN O. VILSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

KEY-CONTROLLER AND SIGNAL-TRANSMITTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,715, dated July 26, 1892.

Application filed J'ulyr 16, 1889. Serial No. 317,651. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MORRIS MARTIN, of Malden, county of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Key-Controllers and Signal-Transmitters, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specication, like letters and figures on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention relates to a signaling apparatus of that kind in which automatic signaltransmitters or signal-boxes placed at various.

points or stations are employed to transmit messages to the main olice or receiving-station, which signal or message indicates the box or station from which it was sent, and may or may not include other information, as may be required. Such apparatus is in wellknown use for lire-alarm or police-signaling purposes, and a portion of the present invention is applicable to any signaling apparatus similar to the well-known tire and police telegraph. As the transmitters in apparatus of this kind usually have to be placed in the streets or other places accessible to the public, they are commonly inclosed in boxes in order to prevent signals being sent by mischievous persons when there is no sufficient occasion for doing so. The boxes are usually provided with lock and key, and in some cases have to be opened before a signal can, be sent. In some apparatus, however, the transmitter is arranged to be operated by a normally-detached operating-handle that is inserted'from the outside of the box without opening the same, and as a check against injudieious use of the signaling apparatus by persons furnished with such operating handles or keys the boxes are in some cases provided with means for trapping or retaining the operating-key when once introduced until it is released by some person who is authorized to have means for opening the box itself. Such retaining and releasing of the signal-operating key or handle has usually been accomplished wholly by mechanical means at the box,the key commonly being prevented from turning back by a dog or obstruction of some kind and being released either by the mechanical operation of another key and lock or by the movement of opening the box y after it has been unlocked by a suitable key other than the one that was employed for transmitting the signal and was entrapped in the act of transmitting the signa-l, as before stated.

The detached operating device that has commonly been called, for convenience, a key, is in reality merely a detachable crank or handle that connects more or less directly 6o with the winding arm or pull of the automatic signal-transmitter motor, and it has been probably called a key in describing apparatus ot this kind mainly because in appearance it is more like an ordinary door-key, al-

though in function or effect it is more like a clock-key.

The present invention relates partly to the means for trapping or retaining a key or detachable operating-handle ot this kind and 7o forreleasing the same at the proper time; and this portion of the invention consists in the combination, with a key or detachable handle for operating a signal-transmitting mechanism, of a lock ordetent that engages said key to prevent it from being withdrawn after it has been operated to transmit a signal and an electro-magnet cont-rolling said detent, whereby it may be operated to release thekey when the said magnet is operated from the 8o main oflice or signal-receiving station. The said controlling-magnet is adapted to be introduced into the transmitting-circuit and is constructed to respond for the purpose of releasing the key to currents diliering in charretain the key, but which when the polarityof 9o the current is reversed, as may be done in the main office, operates the detent in such manner as to release the key, although 1t is obvious that other changes in current besides a reversal of polarity might be employed-as,

for example, an increase above the normal current employed for transmitting messages. Means are provided for normally cutting the key-controlling magnet out of circuit and for introducing the same into circuit, and in pracroo tice it will generally' beimpossible to release the key until after the box has been opened and a signal transmitted to the main office calling for a release of the key, the act of transmitting such special signal or message also introducing the key-releasing magnet into circuit, so that when the proper current is applied from the main office the key will be unlocked and released.

The invention also relates to details of construction of the signal -transmitter itself, which Willlbe hereinafter pointed out.

Figure l is front elevation of a signal-box adapted to be operated by a detachable handle or key inserted from the outside of the box and provided with means for locking and retaining and releasing said key embodying this invention; Fig. 2, a diagram representing the circuits and relation ot' the apparatus thereto, and Fig. 3 a detail representing a modification of the key-controlling mechanism represented in Fig. l.

The signal-box a may be of any suitable or usual construction containing an automatic signal-transmitter, which, so far as the keycontrolling devices are concerned, may be of any usual construction, as the operation of the key does not depend upon the specific construction of the transmitter. The box is shown as provided with a transmitter, the main portion of which is substantially such as shown and described in application, Serial No. 275,647, filed May 31,1888, said transmitter comprising a motor of any suitable kind, such as a spring or Weight actuated train of WheelWork, a portion of Which is indicated at b, Fig. 2, that rotates a drum C, against the surface of which are placed a number of pairs of contact-springs (l d2 d3, dac., Which pairs are connected in the main circuit, the two springs of each pair being also normally connected together by shunt-circuits e e2, the., provided with circuit-breakers containing or in fact composed, mainly, of a pair of contact-springs, Which normally are electrically connected, but which may be electrically separated by the interposition of blocks ffz, dac., of insulating material, so as to interrupt the main circuit between the corresponding pairs of springs, except when said springs are connected by making contact with a conducting material on the drum c. The said drum is rotated beneath the pairs of contact-springs d cl2, dac., bythe motor when the actuator for the same is Wound and released, and the part of said drum co-operating with each pair of springs is substantially equivalent in its operation to an ordinary break-wheel used in automatic transmission of signals, the portion of the drum which passes beneath each pair of springs being made up of alternate conducting and non conducting portions Which connect or disconnect the corresponding p`air of springs, such closures being variously disposed so that the breaks and closures produce on a signal-receiving apparatus a message of any desired character. A suitable stop, as 100, will be employed to stop the rotation of the drum at the completion of a revolution. It Will be apparent, however, that Wh en the shunts e e2, duc., are closed the springs on the co-operating signaling-surfaces of the drum c can produce no effect; but if any one of said shunts is open the main circuit is brought into control of the corresponding pair 0f springs or contacts and signaling-surface co-operating therewith, as the circuit can then be complete only when said springs are connected by the conducting portions of the signaling-surface and is interrupted When said springs are not so connected.

The surface co-operating with each pair of springs or contacts may be of different character, so as to Atransmit a different message, and the shunt-circuit breakers f f2, &c., are connected with operating handles or 'knobsg g2, duc., any one of which may be pulled out to break the corresponding shunt, and thus throw the main circuit into control of the corresponding pair of springs, so that when the motor is operated it transmits the message prod uced by said springs and the co-operatin g signaling-surface. The motor is operated by a crank or Winding arm h, such as usually employed in {ire-alarm or district-signaling transmitters, said arm being turned to Wind the motor-actuator sufficiently to produce one or more rotations of the drum c, according to the design of the apparatus. The said Winding-arm is adapted to be operated Without opening the box by means of a detachable handle t', similar in shape to an ordinary doorkey, which may be introduced through a keyhole or opening t2, placed in any convenient part of the box, and the bit or projecting tongue 3 of which key when rotated operates the Winding-arm by any suitable connecting mechanism. In this instance it is shown as engaging a cam-shaped arm k of a lever 7a2, pivoted at k3 and connected by a link 7a4 with the Winding-arm h, so that the rotation of the key turns said Winding-arm sufficiently to cause the motorb to transmita signal.

The parts thus far described are not herein claimed,as the operation of an automatic signal-transmitter inclosed in a box and accessible to the public, but capable of being operated by means of a detachable key or handle introduced into said box Without opening the same, has been known and used prior to this invention, and the part of the transmitter thus far described is substantially the same as that shown in my application hereinbefore referred to.

In the present in vention, however, the knobs g, g2, dac., that operate the circuit-breakers for the shunts are so arranged as to be pushed into and retained in position to close the shunts by the door of the box when it is closed, and in order that the transmitter may send a signal When operated by the detachable handle Without opening the box one pair of .said springs at d5 in the normal condition of the box is not connected by a shunt, so that such pair, with theoorrespondingsignalin g-surface,

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then controls the main transmitting-circuit. and produces a signal, if the signaling-surfaces are rot-ated by the motor. This pair may, if desired` be always disconnected, except by the corresponding signaling-surface, in which case the signal of said pair will be transmitted Whenever the drum is operated, and in order that the other pairs may control the main circuit during a portion of the rotation of the drum for the purpose of sending their special distinctive signals the corresponding portion of the surface of the drum that underlies the pair of springs d5 is provided with a continuous strip c3 of conducting material, so that during this part of the movement of the drum the main circuit is connected between the springs d5, and the current may then be interrupted by the breaks in the conducting-surface co-operating with any other pair of springs that then has its shunt opened by a corresponding circuitbreaker ffz, &c. For example, the iirst half of the drum that passes beneath the entire series of springs may be of insulating material under all except the pair d5 and of alternating insulating and conducting material under said pair, While the remaining half is all of conducting material under the pair d5 and of alternating conducting and insulating material under each of the other pairs.

In order to retain the key fi after it has been thus introduced and operated to transmit a signal and to subsequently release the same, the box is provided with a stop m, which prevents the key from turning wholly around, so that it can be removed from the keyhole 2, and a dog or detent n prevents the key from being turned back into line With the keyhole, the said dog yielding to permit the key to pass in a direction to operate the lever 7a2, and then dropping in behind the key-bit, as shown in Fig. 3, and in orderv to release the key the said dog must be removed from the path of the key-bit, se as to permit the key to be turned back. In apparatus of this kind in which the key has been retained by a pawl or detent the said pawl has commonly been operated mechanically and automatically to release the key, either by another key introduced at some other part of the box, or by the movement of some part produced by movthe door of the box itself.

In the present invention the release of the key is effected by electrical appliances and is controlled from the main office or station at which the signals transmitted from the box are received. This result is effected by means of an electro-magnet o (shown in Fig. l as a polarized magnet and in Fig. 3 as a neutral magnet) and armature o2 therefor, co operating with said dog n in such manner that when the armature is in the position shown in full lines the dog is permitted to remain in position to engage the key and retain the same in the box; but when said armature is moved to the dotted-line position it removes the dog from the path of the key-bit, so that the key may be turned back and removed from the keyhole. The magnet o is shownV as constructed or adjusted so as not to operate the dog a when affected by thecurrents normally used for transmitting, but is operated by an abnormal current, which may be appliedfrom the main office.

When the polarized magnet is used as shown in Fig. 1, it is so arranged that the currents of the polarity normally used for transmitting retain the armature in the full-line position,

and in order to operate the said armature to release the key the polarity of the current is reversed by any suitable pole-changing instrument-such, for exam ple, as represented at P, Fig. Q-the saidinstrument being of a Wellknown character and requiring no specific description, it operating when turned upon'its pivot p to reverse the connection of the battery-poles B, with the main line 2 3 4 extending from the main or signal-receiving station to the box or transmitting-station.

The signal-receiving instrument at the receiving-station is not shown, as it may be of any Wellknown form of receivinginstrument-such, for example, as a self-starting register-either included in the main circuit or in a local circuit controlled by a relay in the main circuit.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3 the armature o2 is normally at a considerable distance from the pole of the magneto, so as not to be attracted by currents of normal strength; but it may be attracted by increasing the current, which may be done by throwing on ad- TOO ditional battery by a suitable key or switch at the main office. As there are usually several of the transmitters on a single circuit and it is not desirable to have much resistance in said circuit, the magnet 0 is preferably normally cut out from the main circuit by means of a shunt 5 6, which may be opened by an au'- thorized person having access to the inside of the box a, said shunt being shown in this instance as controlled by the same circuitbreaker f and knob or handle g as the shunt e for the pair of springs d, which are cnt ployed to transmit the message to the main office that is understood as a call, for apply ing the proper current from said office to release the key. After a signal has been sent by the operation of the key t' the said key is retained in the box until the arrival of the proper officer, Who may obtain the release of the key by pulling out the knob g and transmitting the corresponding signal, Which is recognized as the key-release signal, upon receipt of which the receiving-station attendant operates the key P, thus causing the magnet o to effectthe release of the key, the said magnet o having been introduced into the main circuit by opening the shunt 5 6 in the same operation that the shunt e was opened for transmitting the key-release message. If desired, the receiving-station operator might set the switch p at any time in positionto connect the battery properly for the release IIO of the key, so that the key Would be released immediately upon opening the shunt 5 6 and bringing the magnet into the main circuit; but by the herein-described means the receiving-station attendant always has it in his power to know when a key is released and in fact at all times controls the release of' the key.

I claiml. A signal-box and signal-transmitter inclosed therein connected in circuit with a central office, said box being provided with an opening to receive a detachable handle or key for operating said signal-transmitter, combined With a detent that engages said key when introduced into the box, and an electromagnet that operates the said detent, and a circuit-changer at the central office for operating said electro-magnet, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a box and signal transmitter inclosed therein adapted to be operated by a detachable handle or key introduced from the outside 0f the box without opening the same, a detent for retaining said key, and an electro-magnet for operating said detent included in thetransmitting-circuit of the box, and a normally-closed shunt for said magnet and circuit-breaker therein, substantially as described.

3. A signal-box containing a signal-transmitter composed of a motor and a number of signaling-surfaces operated simultaneously thereby, said motor being adapted to be operated by a detachable handle introduced Without opening the box, combined with a detent for said detachable handle, an electromagnet included in the transmitting-circuit for operating the said detent, a shunt around said magnet, and circuit-breaker in said shunt operatively connected with the controlling mechanism for one of the signaling-surfaces of the transmitter, as set forth, whereby said shunt is broken when one only of said signaling-surfaces is placed in control of the transmitting-circuit, substantially as described.

4. A signal-transmitting instrument comprising a number of distinct signaling-surfaces connected to move simultaneously and contacts controlled by said surfaces connected in series with one another in the transmitting-circuit, combined With shunt-circuits connecting the co-operating contacts for all of said surfaces but one, which one pair of contacts is normally disconnected except at the co-operating signaling-surface. and an independent circuit-breaker in each of said shunts, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In an electric circuit, a multiple-signal transmitter comprising two signaling-surfaces and conta-cts or breakers co-operatingpr therewith, one of which is normallyin said circuit and the other of which is normally shunted out, a movable part or member for opening and closing said shunt, and automatic mechanism for moving said sign aling-surfaces, substantially as described.

6. In an electric circuit, a multiple-signal transmitter comprising three signaling-sur-l faces and contacts or breakers co-operating therewith, one of which is normally in said circuit and each of the others normally shunted out, and two independently-movable parts or members, one for opening and the other for closing each said shunts, substantially as described.

7. In a signal-box, the combination, With a case and door, of a multiple-signal transmitter having several horizontally-sliding independent controlling devices therefor adapted to be drawn out by hand and returned to their normal position by being struck by the door as it is closed, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification-in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

MORRIS MARTIN.

lVitnesses:

Jos. P. LIVERMORE, JAS. J. MALoNnY. 

